Past events

Southeast Asian Studies

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Past Events

The Center for Southeast Asian Studies is extremely fortunate to have welcomed a number of national and international scholars for lectures, seminars, and workshops on diverse topics affecting the SEA region. Some of our recent events include:

Fall Quarter 2011

Halloween 2011

Halloween was observed all day in Yamada International House on Friday, October 28, 2011. Visitors could see the costumes and decorations, and were given sweet treats.

Yamada International House is located on North Green

Move your cursor over the photo to see Haunted Yamada House

Many cultures have stories, rituals and events related to the amorphous domain between the living and the dead. The countries and cultures of Southeast Asia are no exception. While the telling of ghost stories in Southeast Asia is not linked to October 31st, the date on which Halloween is celebrated in the United States, the Southeast Asian Studies program and the Southeast Asian Student Association (SEASA) at Ohio University shared some of these stories with the Athens community at the end of the month of October. For more information, click here.

OHIO Alumna Performs a New Form of Indonesian Wayang to Full House

On Friday, September 30th, Dr. Jennifer Goodlander, Assistant Professor of Theatre at the University of Kentucky (and OHIO IART alumna) performed Suramaya: A Balinese Wayang Tantri Performance to a packed house of students, faculty, and community members in a theatre classroom in Putnam Hall. Wayang Tantri is a new form of wayang (Indonesian shadow puppetry) developed in the 1980s by I Wayan Wija, a renowned dalang (shadowpuppet master) in Bali. For the full story and photos, click here

The first film of the SEAS Film Series - Spinning Gasing

The Southeast Asian Studies (SEAS) Program was pleased to present the first film of its fall 2011 series on Identity in Modern Southeast Asia on September 23, in Yamada International House. The film, Spinning Gasing, directed by Malaysian director Teck Tan, follows Harryy and Yati, two Malaysian youth, as they confront personal issues of love and betrayal, social issues of race and religion, and the tensions between tradition and modernity in contemporary Malaysia. The film was followed by a discussion session led by Ms. Azliana Aziz, a master’s student in the SEAS program.

Spring Quarter 2011

The 3rd Annual Khmer Studies Forum

The 3rd Annual Khmer Studies Forum was hosted by the Center for Southeast Asian Studies on Friday, April 29 and Saturday, April 30.
For more information, click here

View program schedule here

OU WELCOMES AMBASSADOR FROM TIMOR-LESTE

On May 6, 2011, Ohio University was honored to welcome H.E. Constancio da Conceição Pinto, Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste to the United States, to the campus. Ambassador Pinto was a key leader of the resistance movement that led to Timor-Leste’s restoration of independence in 2002. That same year, he became the first senior diplomat from Timor-Leste ever posted in Washington, D.C. Ambassador Pinto is the co-author of East Timor’s Unfinished Struggle: Inside the Timorese Resistance (1996); and contributed a chapter to the book, Bitter Paradise (2000). His articles on the East Timorese struggle have appeared in the LA Times, Washington Post, Providence Journal and Philadelphia Inquirer. He holds a master’s degree in International Relations from Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), and a bachelor’s degree in Development Studies from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. As part of the Center for International Studies Forum, the Ambassador presented a lecture entitled “Timor-Leste: Ten Years After Independence,” in which he reflected upon the country’s development as a new nation.

UBC Professor speaks on Thai Red Shirts

During the spring quarter 2011, we were pleased to welcome Dr. Jim Glassman, Associate Professor of Geography at the University of British Columbia (UBC). On May 13, Dr. Glassman presented a lecture entitled, "Reflecting on the Massacre of April-May 2010:The Red Shirts and the Thai State One Year Later."

A specialist in Development Geography, Third World Urbanization, Economic Geography, Political Economy, Political Geography, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Rim, Dr. Glassman presented an analysis of some of the changes in Thai society that led to the emergence of the Red Shirt movement, noting the response of Thai elites to these changes over the last few years, and assessed the ongoing struggle in Thailand on the first anniversary of last year’s bloodshed in the streets of Bangkok.

The Forum was jointly sponsored by the Department of Geography, the Southeast Asian Studies Program, and the International Development Studies Program.

Winter Quarter 2011

SOUTH- and SOUTHEAST ASIAN LANGUAGE SEMINAR
On February 18, 2011, the Southeast Asian Language Program at Ohio University, in collaboration with the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, hosted the Southeast Asian and South Asian Language Seminar. The participants’ talks covered various topics, including language acquisition, modes of learning, vocabulary enhancement, language and power, local dialects from Indonesia, and language and identity. To view the full program and abstracts, click on the links below.
Program	Abstracts

CAL STATE PROFESSOR SPEAKS ON
ASIA-LATIN AMERICA CONNECTIONS

On Friday, February 25, 2011, Dr. James Sobredo, Associate Professor of Ethnic Studies in the Asian American Studies Program at California State University in Sacramento, presented a lecture entitled, “The Manila-Acapulco Galleons: Global Trade, Economics and Migrations, 16th-18th Century” as part of the Center for International Studies forum.

In his fascinating presentation, Dr. Sobredo explored the historical, ethnic, and commercial connections between Latin America and Asia that occurred as a result of the Manila Galleon trade. Beginning in the 16th century, trade between Mexico and the Philippines provided linkages between the goods of Asia, including India and China, and Central and South America. Evidence of these linkages and the movement of people as well as material goods throws a wrench into prevailing assumptions that Asians did not arrive in the Americas until centuries later. The event was co-sponsored by the Latin American Studies program and the Southeast Asian Studies program.

Dr. Sobredo has a BA (University of Washington, Seattle), a MA (Bowling Green State University) in Philosophy (Ancient Greek/Plato/Aristotle) and a PhD from UC-Berkeley in Ethnic Studies. His
latest book publications are on early Filipino migration to the Americas, the Manila galleon trade and 16th-century economic history.

GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH PANEL PRESENTATION
HELD FRIDAY, MARCH 4

On Friday, March 4, 2011, the Center for International Studies Forum hosted a graduate student research panel, featuring Hsin-ning Chang of the Southeast Asian Studies Program, Aggrey Otieno of Communication and Development Studies (CommDev), and Carolina Proano Castro (also of CommDev). The panel topics were as follows:

Hsin-ning Chang: “Imagining ‘Us’ and ‘Others’ in Kuala Lumpur through the works of Amir Muhammad” {Editor’s note: to read an interview with Hsin-ning, check out the Southeast Asian Studies Spotlight section}

Aggrey Otieno: “Telemedicine in Action: Reducing maternal and neonatal mortality through communication approaches in Korogocho, Nairobi-Kenya”

Carolina Proano-Castro: “Integrating Participation and Culture in a Global Health Intervention to Control Chagas Disease: Cross-cultural and multidisciplinary efforts, challenges and lessons learned”

The panel was moderated by Dr. Tom Smucker, Director of International Development Studies.

Fall Quarter 2010

OSU Professor speaks on Indonesia
On October 15, 2010, Dr. R. William Liddle, Professor of Political Science at The Ohio State University, presented a lecture entitled "Voters and the New Indonesian Democracy." Sponsored by the Southeast Asian Studies program as part of the Center for International Studies forum series, Dr. Liddle's talk analyzed Indonesian voting behavior since the 1999 election, based on survey data from the Indonesian Survey Institute, with implications for the second Yudhoyono Administration, 2009-2014, and beyond.

CSU Professor speaks on Philippines' President
On October 21, 2010, Dr. Benjamin N. Muego, Professorial Lecturer in Political Science at Cleveland State University, presented a lecture entitled "President Benigno Simeon Aquino III: The First One Hundred Days." The lecture presented several claims made by the administration during the first one hundred days and Dr. Muego's informed analysis of those claims.

From left to right: Dick McGinn (Professor of Linguistics and former CSEAS Director), Benjamin N. Muego, and Drew McDaniel (CSEAS Interim Director)

Scholar discusses higher education in Vietnam on November 3

On Wednesday, November 3, 2010, Professor Vu Van Thai of Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, presented a lecture on "Higher Education in Vietnam: Changes and Responses." Professor Vu provided an overview of higher education in Vietnam in recent years, focusing on changes in demand and expectations by consumers (students and their parents) and related responses to these changes by both public and private institutions.

Renowned archaeologist lectures on Thailand

On Friday, November 5, 2010, renowned archaeologist Dr. Ian Glover presented a lecture entitled, "Bronze to Iron Age Transitions in Southeast Asia: Excavations at Ban Don Ta Phet, Thailand." By analyzing material culture from various excavations, Dr. Glover offered comparative perspectives on the transition from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age in Southeast Asia.

Special screening of Enemies of the People

On November 9, 2010, the Southeast Asian Studies Program and the OU School of Film presented a special screening of the award-winning film, Enemies of the
People (Old Street Films, 2010). One of the most harrowing and compelling personal documentaries of our time, Enemies of the People exposes for the first
time the truth about the Cambodian Killing Fields and

the Khmer Rouge who were behind the horrific genocide. More than simply an inquiry into Cambodia's experience, however, Enemies of the People is a profound meditation on the nature of good and evil, shedding light on the capacity of some people to do terrible things and for others to forgive them.

To watch the trailer for the film, click here: http://enemiesofthepeoplemovie.com/watch-clip

For more information on the Khmer Rouge genocide of the 1970s, visit the
Documentation Center of Cambodia web site. http://www.dccam.org

Film shown at OU featured in Los Angeles Times

“Enemies of the People” is also the subject of an intriguing article in the December 15th edition of the Los Angeles Times. The award-winning film has been shown across the country, including in Long Beach, California, home to the largest community of Cambodians in the United States. To read the full article, click here:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-bo-20101215,0,7918169,full.story

CSEAS HOSTS TABLE AT OU CAREER FAIR

During the fall quarter, the Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) hosted a table at OU’s Career Fair, held in the Baker Center Ballroom.

The exhibit featured colorful displays highlighting OU’s master’s program in Southeast Asian Studies (SEAS), Southeast Asian (SEA) language offerings, the outstanding SEA collection housed in Alden Library, diverse interdisciplinary courses taught by OU faculty and visiting scholars, and events such as guest lectures, social gatherings, and community outreach.

CSEAS Graduate Assistant Katie Bruhn at the Career Fair display

While most of the students attending the fair came in search of job opportunities, dozens stopped by the table to ask questions and find out what CSEAS has to offer. “Southeast Asia is an extremely important and fascinating region to study,” said Christine Su, Assistant Director for Southeast Asian Studies. “It has been called the ‘crossroads of the world,’ and for good reason: for centuries, people from across the globe have come to Southeast Asia to trade, settle, colonize, study, explore. The diversity of cultures, histories, and geographies across the 11 countries in the region is astounding.”

The master’s program welcomes applicants from various disciplines, including but not limited to area studies, business, communication, political science, anthropology, and education.

SEA Welcome Potluck a Success